1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and a method for land mine clearance.
2. Description of Related Art
Two of the most persistent and overarching challenges in the demining industry are speed and cost of clearing land mines. As mechanical land mine clearance becomes more accepted and preferred among industry professionals as a way to speed up clearance, cost becomes a greater concern. Many machines on the market today require an enormous initial investment, continual expenditures in upkeep and repairs, and a team of trained mechanics to keep the machines running. Additionally, many machines are so large that they cannot be transported within the existing infrastructure of many nations where demining takes place, making it impossible to truly leverage the clearance potential of such machines. Many machines also are so complicated in their engineering that support in remote locations is difficult, time-consuming, and costly. Essentially, few manufacturers have considered the practical factors that make a machine truly useful. The humanitarian demining industry thus is in critical need of new mechanical clearance options that are more practical to use and less expensive both in initial purchase price and in lifetime upkeep.
The Pearson Roller/front-end loader combination (“Pearson”) currently accomplishes much of the rolling in the demining industry. The “Pearson” device incorporates a set of segmented roller discs on one axle. The discs have an internal hole larger than the axle, this allows them to move up and down.
There are several important characteristics of new machines that many industry professionals view as crucial. New machines should fit within the potential of existing infrastructures to support them, meaning they should be light in weight and simple in design so that they can be maintained and repaired using easily procured parts. New machines should be simple to support, requiring minimal training to repair and maintain. New machines should be of robust design, meaning they should be able to withstand many mine blasts, as well as function well in all types of climates. Possibly most importantly, new machines should be inexpensive to purchase.